Waiting around in vain for buses was a mainstay of this trip, but the Asturias was so beautiful. You really need a car to cover much ground. Unfortunately, we decided we wouldn't be driving. This could be because I don't have a licence. And Beatrice didn't want to chauffeur me around.
Four legs
Of all the days to visit the Covadonga lakes, we had to choose a Saturday. There weren't any buses. I was all for walking - after all, it was just three miles away according to our source. We took a cab instead. It was a lot more than three miles. On the way back, we were met with cows coming up a steep slope...
Beatrice: And you wanted me to walk this.
Me: See, even the cows can do it.
Beatrice: They have four legs!
Bicycles and bears
It was a similar story at Valle del Oso, near Proaza. We'd got the bus there intending to hire bicycles. The trouble was, what looked like the cycle hire shop was closed. There was a bar nearby so I went in to enquire.
Me: Hola!
Barman: Hola, buenas dias.
Me: Erm... la bicicleta... donde?
He went into some explanation in Spanish. I heard the word Proaza. I looked confused. He said, "Do you speak English?" Turns out that the bicycle rental shop was a distance away. I made Beatrice walk there. She wasn't too happy about it but we eventually got our bikes.
Valle del Oso means Valley of the Bears. The only bears we saw were captive ones. Paca and Tola were their names. "We're in the Valley of the Bears," I kept saying throughout the day. I thought it had a nice ring to it.
Woody Allen
In Oviedo, we went statue-hunting. The town was full of them. I posed beside Woody Allen for a picture. He didn't object.
